SYSTEM FOR MEASURING MULTIPLE SOIL PROPERTIES USING NARROW PROFILE SENSOR CONFIGURATION

• US 20170067869A1
• Filed: 09/09/2016
• Published: 03/09/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Veris Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Veris Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Lund, Eric, Maxton, Chase, Drummond, Paul, Jensen, Kyle
• Granted Patent: US 11,067,560 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 49/04 Combinations of soil-working tools with non-soil-working tools, e.g. planting tools
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 21/007 Determining fertilization requirements
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 5/062 Devices for making drills or furrows
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/246 for water content

Abstract

A system for measuring soil properties on-the-go using a narrow profile sensor unit is provided on an implement for traversing a field. The sensor unit includes a front disk/coulter arranged to open a slot in the soil, a runner assembly arranged to follow behind the front disk/coulter for sliding contact with the soil in the slot, and a rotating disk/spoked wheel arranged to follow behind the runner assembly to close the slot. The front disk or coulter serves as a first electrode of an electrode array, the runner assembly has second and third electrodes attached thereto, and the rotating disk/spoked wheel serves as a fourth electrode. The electrode array can be used to measure soil electrical conductivity at multiple depths and to measure soil moisture. An optical window and pH sensor can also be incorporated into the runner assembly to measure soil reflectance and soil pH.

Claims

1. A system for measuring at least one property of soil in a field, comprising:

a first soil engaging component arranged to open a slot in the soil, said first soil engaging component comprising a first electrode of an electrode array for measuring soil electrical conductivity;

a second soil engaging component comprising a second electrode of said electrode array arranged to follow behind said first soil engaging component to contact soil in said slot;

a third soil engaging component comprising a third electrode of said electrode array arranged to follow behind said second soil engaging component to contact soil in said slot; and

a fourth soil engaging component arranged to follow behind said third soil engaging component to contact soil in or adjacent to said slot, said fourth soil engaging component comprising a fourth electrode of said electrode array.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said first soil engaging component is a rotating disk or coulter.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein said second and third electrodes are attached to a runner assembly and arranged for sliding contact with the soil in said slot.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein said fourth soil engaging component is a rotating disk or a spoked wheel arranged to follow behind said third soil engaging component to close said slot.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein said electrode array is a Wenner or Schlumberger array with said first and fourth electrodes connected to a source of electrical current and said second and third electrodes connected to a voltage measuring circuit.

6. The system according to claim 1, further comprising an optical window located inline with said soil engaging components, and a sensor for measuring optical reflectance of the soil through said window.

7. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a first signal processing circuit for using said electrode array as a Wenner or Schlumberger array for measuring soil electrical conductivity at a relatively deep depth, and a second signal processing circuit for using said electrode array as a dipole array for measuring soil electrical conductivity at a relatively shallow depth.

8. The system according to claim 7, further comprising a phase lock loop or switching circuit associated with said first and second signal processing circuits to allow said signal processing circuits to simultaneously measure soil electrical conductivity at said deep and shallow depths using said electrode array.

9. The system according to claim 8, further comprising a micro controller, computer or data logger for converting, processing and storing sensor data received from said signal processing circuits.

10. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a third signal processing circuit connected to said electrode array for using at least one of said electrodes to measure soil moisture.

11. The system according to claim 10, wherein said third signal processing circuit comprises a capacitance circuit for generating a soil moisture signal.

12. The system according to claim 10, further comprising a first signal processing circuit for using said electrical array for measuring soil electrical conductivity, and a phase lock loop or switching circuit associated with said first and third signal processing circuits to allow said signal processing circuits to measure both soil electrical conductivity and soil moisture using said electrode array.

13. The system according to claim 12, further comprising a micro controller, computer or data logger for converting, processing and storing sensor data received from said signal processing circuits.

14. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a pH sensor attached to said runner, said pH sensor comprising at least one electrode arranged to be lowered into contact with the soil in the slot to measure soil pH.

15. A system for measuring pH of soil in a field, comprising:

a narrow profile runner arranged to open a slot in the soil; and

a pH sensor attached to said runner, said pH sensor comprising at least one ion-selective electrode and an actuator arranged to lower said electrode into contact with the soil in the slot to measure pH of the soil.

16. The system according to claim 15, wherein said actuator comprises a linear actuator arranged to lower said electrode into contact with a bottom surface of the slot to measure pH of the soil in situ.

17. The system according to claim 15, further comprising an optical window in a bottom surface of said runner for measuring optical reflectance of the soil through said window.

18. The system according to claim 17, further comprising at least one electrode arranged on a bottom side of said runner for sliding contact with the soil in said slot for measuring soil electrical conductivity or moisture.

19. The system according to claim 15, further comprising at least one electrode arranged on a bottom side of said runner for sliding contact with the soil in said slot for measuring soil electrical conductivity or moisture.

20. A row crop implement, comprising:

a plurality of row units for tilling, fertilizing or planting a plurality of parallel rows in soil, said plurality of row units comprising two adjacent row units; and

a narrow profile sensor unit arranged between said two adjacent row units, said sensor unit comprising a front disk or coulter arranged to open a slot in the soil, a runner assembly arranged to follow behind said front disk or coulter for sliding contact with the soil in said slot, and a rotating disk or a spoked wheel arranged to follow behind said runner to close said slot.

21. The row crop implement according to claim 20, wherein said plurality of row units and said sensor unit are mounted to a tool bar.

22. The row crop implement according to claim 20, wherein said front disk or coulter comprises a first electrode of an electrode array for measuring soil electrical conductivity, said runner assembly comprises second and third electrodes of said electrode array, and said rotating disk or spoked wheel comprises a fourth electrode of said electrode array.

23. The row crop implement according to claim 22, wherein said electrode array is a Wenner or Schlumberger array with said first and fourth electrodes connected to a source of electrical current and said second and third electrodes connected to a voltage measuring circuit.

24. The row crop implement according to claim 22, further comprising an optical window located in a runner of said runner assembly inline with said electrode array in a direction of travel, and a sensor for measuring optical reflectance of the soil through said optical window.

25. The row crop implement according to claim 22, further comprising a first signal processing circuit for using said electrode array as a Wenner or Schlumberger array for measuring soil electrical conductivity at a relatively deep depth, and a second signal processing circuit for using said electrode array as a dipole array for measuring soil electrical conductivity at a relatively shallow depth.

26. The row crop implement according to claim 25, further comprising a phase lock loop or switching circuit associated with said first and second signal processing circuits to allow said signal processing circuits to measure soil electrical conductivity at said deep and shallow depths using said electrode array.

27. The row crop implement according to claim 22, further comprising a third signal processing circuit connected to said electrode array for using at least one of said electrodes to measure soil moisture.

28. The row crop implement according to claim 27, wherein said third signal processing circuit comprises a capacitance circuit for generating a soil moisture signal.

29. The row crop implement according to claim 27, further comprising a first signal processing circuit for using said electrode array to measure soil electrical conductivity, and a phase lock loop or switching circuit associated with said first and third signal processing circuits to allow said signal processing circuits to measure both soil electrical conductivity and soil moisture using said electrode array.

30. The row crop implement according to claim 20, further comprising an optical window located in a bottom surface of a runner of said runner assembly, and a sensor for measuring optical reflectance of the soil through said optical window.

31. The row crop implement according to claim 30, further comprising a pair of protective fins positioned on right and left sides of said optical window and protruding from said runner below a lower surface of said optical window for protecting the window during use.